@Chosenname

Tanaka-san not here. Have gone to find her cat. I’m sitting in street. Can’t stand up. Ground shaking. Like being drunk. On cheap shochu.
2:56 p.m.

A water mains has burst. Have filled every pot and flask with water.
2:58 p.m.

Oh yes, tub filling now should we need it to manually flush toilet.
3:22 p.m.

Sitting with my coat on in the front room with the front door wide open, ready to run out if the house starts shaking again.
3:29 p.m.

Can still feel tremors in Abiko every five minutes. Ten fires have been confirmed in Tokyo, according to TV Asahi
3:34 p.m.

Occasional sirens in the distance. Lots of loudspeaker instructions from city hall
3:36 p.m.

Cacophony of sirens now from Highway 6 disappearing to Tokyo. I’m hunkered down with laptop by the door.
3:41 p.m.

I lost all my wine glasses, a half-dozen rice bowls, but my free Guinness pint glass survived. Luck of the Irish.
3:52 p.m.

Watching the TV now. Fires in Sendai. Flooding in Owarai, 40 min drive from here. Ishinomaki, Kesennuma tsunamis.
4:36 p.m.

Explosion at steel refinery in Chiba.
5:37 p.m.

Tanaka-san has returned! Cat has returned. She is wearing outside shoes IN MY HOUSE. Must be serious.
5:39 p.m.

Tanaka-san is asking after you @WalkDontRun. Where are you?
5:41 p.m.

Tanaka-san has just taped shut all the kitchen cabinets to stop all crockery being smashed if a bigger one hits
5:43 p.m.

Night is falling here in Abiko. Can hear three sets of sirens. Lots of aftershocks now.
5:44 p.m.

I shall sleep with my clothes on tonight.
5:50 p.m.

Report in please @WalkDontRun. Where are you?
5:59 p.m.

It’s official: biggest earthquake to hit Japan, ever. 9.0 Richter Scale. Can’t believe my 38-year-old house is still standing.
6:02 p.m.

NHK radio says death toll at 18, including 6-year-old hit by roof in supermarket.
6:23 p.m.

Aftershock. Tanaka-san ran into street with arms outstretched shouting “Stop it!”
6:32 p.m.

Official dead count now at 29, with 37 missing, via Tokyo Broadcasting
6:37 p.m.

Walked around neighbourhood. Liquor store is a disaster. Master-san unhappy. Cleaning up broken bottles.
6.57 p.m.

RT @HikaruHayashiNews Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant MAY have radiation leak. Govt issues nuclear state of emergency. First time ever.
7:05 p.m.

Tanaka-san ran through house in 60 seconds, grabbed cookies, a bag of rice and pension book.
7:07 p.m.

Damn, I need a drink.
7:10 p.m.

Water from the tap has slowed to a trickle, no gas, but still have lights. Have 6-pack in fridge that must be drunk if power goes out.
7:11 p.m.

CORRECTION: Only 4 cans of beer in fridge, not 6. Regret the error.
7:31 p.m.

City hall loudspeakers warning electricity will be cut shortly.
7:33 p.m.

Would it be insensitive of me to pop to 7-11 for a bottle of wine at a time like this?
7:34 p.m.

Big aftershock there. Tanaka-san has removed all picture frames from the walls. TV still working. It’s a Steve Martin film. Sadly, a recent one.
8:23 p.m.

President Obama offers condolences to people of Japan; says US stands ready to help in aftermath.
20:44 p.m.

Aftershock after aftershock. This is really not fun.
9:04 p.m.

Tanaka-san has returned from shopping trip: Box of cereal, gel sports drink and rice crackers were all she could get.
9:07 p.m.

Expressways closed, trains stopped. Getting home is going to be tough for Abikans stuck in Tokyo.
9:11 p.m.

At least something good has come of this—Tokyo Disney Resort will close the entire park tomorrow to check the facilities.
9:21 p.m.

200 to 300 bodies found. Just in on TBS television.
9:35 p.m.

Dangerous mission: creep through house without waking Tanaka-san, get along creaky floor, retrieve can of Suntory Malts.
9:36 p.m.

Reuters: Utility workers in Fukushima, Japan are racing to avoid a core meltdown, radiation nightmare after deadly earthquakes, tidal waves.
9:39 p.m.

Americans within 10 km of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant should evacuate.
9:45 p.m.

400+ confirmed dead, 650+ missing, 1,000+ injured. Expect deaths to hit 4 digits, injuries 5 at least.
9:46 p.m.

Nuclear safety agency says meltdown suspected in reactor at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
9:49 p.m.

Overseas sensationalised reports of a giant nuclear disaster at Fukushima… calmer heads on Nihon Hoso Kyokai.
9:56 p.m.

Despite cesium detection, no need to extend the evacuation zone, expert says. #earthquake #japan
9:57 p.m.

1400 people now confirmed dead.
10:05 p.m.

Starting to read names of the dead for the first time. People in Aomori, Ibaraki, Chiba, Miyagi.
10:16 p.m.

NHK: Wall round No1 reactor at Fukushima No1 plant blown away.
10:26 p.m.

People outdoors in Fukushima area urged to wear masks and/or hold wet towels over face. Radiation danger.
10:27 p.m.

Radiation levels measured outside reactor 1,000 times exposure a person gets in 1 year. That was before the explosion.
10:29 p.m.

Now watching NHK press conference on N-disaster. Man in overalls says they cannot see exactly what’s what because of meltdown.
10:31 p.m.

Prime Minister’s spokesman in overalls asked if people safe from exposure outside of 10km evacuation area, he answered we are researching.
10:32 p.m.

Tanaka-san stormed out of room saying, “he’s lying.”
10:33 p.m.

BBC says they won’t let anyone closer than 60km as too dangerous.
10:41 p.m.

Blast at Fukushima No.1 plant No.3 reactor—live TV images
10:51 p.m.

Two more explosions at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant’s 3rd reactor. A large amount of smoke reported.
10:53 p.m.

Beyond 20km radius, radiation levels should be reduced, impact to health “minimal.” —Cabinet Secretary Edano.
10:54 p.m.

Tokyo and 4 prefectures have recorded record high radiation levels, except for levels recorded after nuclear bomb tests by other nations—Yomiuri
10:59 p.m.

Tanaka-san has gone to look for her cat.
11:00 p.m.

In the event radiation level rises, close windows and doors, turn off AC, leave outside things outside.
11:28 p.m.

In the event radiation level rises, if you must go outside cover up as much as possible, hoods and masks included.
11:29 p.m.

In the event radiation level rises, after returning indoors, immediately strip and seal clothing in plastic bag.
11:30 p.m.

The British Embassy is offering evacuation flights to its safe haven in Hong Kong for citizens wishing to leave Japan.
11:45 p.m.

I refuse to be a bystander anymore. Goodbye twitter, I’m on my way @WalkDontRun.
11:59 p.m.

***

Start the novel from Chapter 1 here or use the next/previous arrow keys to flip through the book.

That was a chapter of Half Life: A Hana Walker Mystery. I’m publishing a chapter a day in sequence on this blog to promote the book. You can buy HALF LIFE as a paperback from Create Space here or as a Kindle download from any Amazon site including links to the book here at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.co.jp.

The sequel, Prime Life, is coming out in the New Year.